Ship Creek Derby winds to muddy end

The year’s Slam’n Salm’n Derby on Ship Creek is winding to a muddy end after torrential rains Friday night again flooded the creek with high muddy water.

The 28.95-p0und king was still leading as of this morning, among just 98 kings weighed in through Friday.  The derby ends at noon Saturday, June 16. 

The downtown Anchorage king fishery has been dramatically slower and producing smaller kings than in recent years. It’s yet to be determined if the big run of hatchery kings is yet to come for this year–generally bright kings are caught in a “normal” year until about July 1.  The king fishery traditionally closes in mid July. 

Several hundred  young anglers and their families were fishing and collecting great gear in the rain Saturday morning, but no kings were being caught near Saturday’s high tide.   ADF&G staffers working the department booth and provided advice and gear said that they fished Friday, before the rain and hooked about two dozen kings on roe fished on the bottom, although only three were landed. 

By comparison, most derbies will see 300 to 400 kings weighed in, averaging 18-22 pounds, with the top fish pushing 40.  Anglers who still want to catch a king from the creek will need to wait for lower clear water, which should come with sunny days forecast for the coming week.